Crimea to elect head of republic, Sevastopol governor

Vladimir Putin earlier nominated six candidates

SIMFEROPOL, October 9. /TASS/. Crimea will elect head of the republic and Sevastopol governor on Thursday.

In accordance with the Sevastopol regulations, Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 17 nominated three candidates for consideration of the city legislature. The candidates are acting Sevastopol Governor Sergei Menyailo, first secretary of the city organization of the Russian Communist Party Vasily Parkhomenko and a candidate from the LDPR, the chief of staff of the Sevastopol self defence during the “Russian Spring”, Oleg Roslyakov.

The legislative assembly will meet at 14:00 Moscow time to elect a governor by secret ballot.

Members of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea will also consider three candidacies nominated by the Russia president to head the republic. These are the republic’s acting head Sergei Aksyonov, Crimean Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Gennady Narayev and State Duma member Alexander Terentyev.

The United Russia party intends to support Aksyonov, as Crimean State Council Speaker and secretary of the party’s regional organization Vladimir Konstantinov said earlier.

“In our party we have already decided. I think, an overwhelming majority will elect Sergei Aksyonov,” Konstatinov told reporters.

Aksyonov was appointed acting head of Crimea on April 14, 2014. The Crimean State Council on July 30 adopted a law on election of head of the republic. Under the document, regional parliament members elect one of the candidates nominated by the Russian president.